


arrow of carnations

by vanillabeans_and_cococups



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Dont ask me why, Fluff, Humor, M/M, POV Outsider, Soulmates of Choice, almost crack but not really?, and may be continued?, clary lives in georgia because this is one of my favorite headcanons, idk yet man help me, jalecsecretsanta2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 06:41:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13405608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanillabeans_and_cococups/pseuds/vanillabeans_and_cococups
Summary: Clary believes she's about to live out her very own Hallmark coffee-shop romance. Little does she know that she's stepped into someone else's...





	arrow of carnations

**Author's Note:**

> I can't even tell you how long I spend trying to get this thing to upload. I'm going to go cry now. All you need to know is that I'm switching to Sprint now. Not betaed, so please excuse any misspelled words, comma splices, or incoherent english. Super-duper loosely inspired by the Chili Pepper 'Verse by justanothersong. 
> 
> Much love to you Nanda! I hope you had the merriest of holidays and a great beginning to 2018!!!! I can't apologize enough, if there's anything more I could do for you as a makeup gift please let me know!

The barista was HOT. Like, 1000 degrees, _this-is-what-the-upper-half-of-all-the-underwear-models-on-the-side-of-buses-look-like_ kinda hot. His eyes were absolutely entrancing, one a deep, buttery brown like the coffee he was currently toiling over (her coffee, might she add), and the other a piercing blue like the holiday lights that were currently glittering on the New York streets.

After stumbling into this hidden coffee shop on the corner of Marietta and Polk Street, and subsequently stumbling through her coffee order, Clary was still trying to find her breath. And this god of a man in front of her was decidedly not helping. She brushed a curl behind her ear and flattened out her frilly white blouse, trying for some semblance of cool and collected.

After gathering herself, she decided that it would be best for both her mental and physical state if she did not look back at Mr. Underwear Model, and that she would get a much better use out of her time by people watching. Clary always loved people watching—creating entire characters and worlds simply out of an impatient glance at a phone or the fiddling of a watch. It was like art, in a way. Yet much less messy than her beloved pencils and charcoal at home.

She turned her head to glance around at the little café. On the two sides of the room that were facing the street, the walls were entirely made up of windows, providing a charming view of the people bustling around, struggling with various last minute bags and packages. She smiled, giddy at the small flurries that were floating down outside. God, how she had missed snow. It had only been a few months since she had moved down to Georgia to attend the Savanna College for Art and Design, but the Peach states's 40 degree low in December was a little too hot for her. Clary giggled to herself, the picture of how her southern classmates would be loudly freaking out over such a small amount of snow practically painting itself in her head.

Within the shop itself, her eyes were drawn to a man a little ways from her, seated with his back against the wall at one of those teeny, two-seater tables. His body almost seemed too lanky for the chair he was lounging in, and his mien practically screamed " _I hate everything around me and I want to go home_."

He was cute, Clary supposed, in an innocent, doe-eyed sort of puppy way, and she was sure that forest green Henley of his must be hiding some sort of evidence of a gym membership, if his arms were anything to go by. But nothing could really compare to the huge hunk of living deity (that Clary was still, unfortunately, painfully aware of) on the other side of the counter, so Grumpy Doe-Eyes was pushed to the corner of her mind. Speaking of the barista, actually—

She shuddered, dropping all thoughts of moody customers and fluttering snow from her head. There were more important things to worry about, such as Mr. Underwear Model trying valiantly to grab her attention.

"Miss? Erm, m'am, hello? You're order's ready," he tried again, snapping his fingers in an attempt to get Clary's attention. She started and quickly turned around, a red blush rising to her cheeks. "Oh! Uh... yeah, yes! Me, coffee, yes absolutely. Oh gosh I'm so sorry."

The barista laughed under his breath at her fumbling. "No problem, Miss. It's totally understandable to be distracted by... certain things," he smirked, eyes flicking fondly to the man Clary had been observing a second before. The subtle flirtation by Mr. Underwear Model went over Clary's head, however, as she was still trying to organize her thoughts and stop staring at those damn _eyes_.

"No need for formality," she managed to put together in her sweetest voice. "My name's Clary." The barista raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Well then, you can call me Jace, Clary." _Score, a name!_

Clary found herself lost in his gorgeously chiseled face again, only brought out of her trance by a low cough from Jace, who now also sported a faint blush. "Do you still want your coffee, Clary?" He asked.  
Letting out a minuscule squeak the redhead straightened up and quickly reached for the cardboard cup that he had been holding out to her for quite some time. As soon as she felt the comforting warmth of the cup in her hand, Clary professed her thanks as quickly as possible and dashed out of the store. Jace's eyes kept flicking fondly to the man at the tiny table for a long while after she left.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Clary sighed.

Isabelle didn't look up from her magazine.

Clary sighed louder, making sure to add and audible clack of impatient fingernails against the desk they were seated at for maximum effect.

A glimmer of a grin flashed across Izzy's face. Not even glancing up from her reading, she drawled, "Yes, dear?"

Clary hurumphed, realizing this was the closest thing to attention she was going to get. The redhead crossed her arms, "So... I was walking around the city the other day, finding some last minute gifts..."

"Hmm."

"And... I spotted this cute little coffee shop, all tucked away in a corner, so I decided to check it out."

"Sounds fun."

Clary smirked, putting all her cards on the table. "And there was this really, _really_ cute guy working behind the–"

"SPILL," Izzy demanded, shoving her latest copy of Vogue to the side, it sliding dangerously close to the edge of the library table. Clary smiled more, proudly this time. "A perfect plan perfectly executed," she mumbled to herself.

"Come again?" Izzy asked, her brow furrowing adorably.

"Oh, nothing. But as I was saying, I have simply _got_ to go back there and get his number. There is no way I'm leaving New York without a passionate holiday romance to cross off my bucket list."

Izzy's cheerful interest faltered for a second. "Clares... did you check him for a soul mark? Not to be a downer or anything, but if this guy is even half as hot as you're implying he is, then chances are he's already been snatched by someone. I know I would have been jumping on him."

Oh. Clary hadn't even though to check, she had been so wrapped up in his... well his entire face, really. However, her worry quickly passed and the younger girl shrugged. "Come on, Izzy. Who actually has a soulmate nowadays? I'm sure he's perfectly fair game."

Isabelle flushed, defending herself with every beach-side, dollar sale romance book she ever had in her bookshelf. Soulmates were literally a joining of two souls. Or, as Izzy liked to think of it, two halves of one soul finally reuniting. And in her mind, one couldn't get more romantic than that. Unfortunately for Isabelle, not many people chose to bond themselves anymore, as Clary quickly brought up in her argument.

"That's not true!" Izzy pouted in response. "How could such a beautiful thing die out? Being a soulmate with someone else is more than just marriage," Isabelle sighed wistfully. "It's a literal joining of mind, heart, and emotion. Their feelings became your feelings; everything that happens to them, physical or mental, happens to you. It's a symbol of love so deep that it transcends all comprehension..." Isabelle trailed off, staring longingly at a point somewhere above Clary's head. The redhead sighed, part endeared by her friend's display of ardor and part exasperated by it. While it was true that soul bonding was a trademark in stories of romance throughout the ages, the chances were too slim for it to be an actually point concern. Like Izzy said, the bonding was a joining of mind and soul. Not many people, even those in love, were willing to sell so much of themselves away anymore.

Isabelle, realizing she was loosing the battle, tacked on triumphantly, "My brother's bonded. I'll introduce you sometime. Then you'll see."

Clary was surprised. How come Isabelle had only brought this up now? "Really? That's amazing, Izzy!" Clary trailed off. "But still not the point," she closed, aiming for an amiable end to the conversation. "You are so coming with me this week, Lightwood. Based on how much of a mess just looking at him makes me, I am definitely going to need some backup for round two."

Isabelle smiled her most sickly sweet smile and leaned forward in her chair. "You've got me, girl. You are _so_ getting a date out of this hunk."

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Clarissa walked into the coffee shop this time without Isabelle, much to her vexation, due to some trivial reason that Clary had soon forgotten because of her ever increasing nerves. She was surprised to see Jace talking to Mr. Grumpy Doe-Eyes, who was seated at the same small table as before. Today, though, he had a mug in front of him, which Jace was apparently refilling (hot coco, if Clary had to guess, based on the sinking white dots specked in the chestnut colored liquid). They seemed to be happily in conversation, the barista's eyes not leaving Doe-Eyes' once and an actual smile beginning to slip loose from the latter's lips. Strange, she thought—she had been under the impression that the brunet's face was locked in a permanent scowl.

Whatever, Clary had plenty time to ponder on that later. Right now she needed to stay focused. She began running through her plan while she absentmindedly pretended to browse the chalkboard menu above the register.

By the time she had steeled herself up and reached the front of the line, Jace still wasn't back. In fact, he actually had taken a seat next to the other guy. Clary sighed half in disappointment and half in relief, realizing that he wouldn't be moving to take her order anytime soon. Dejectedly, she order a candy-cane and chocolate frappe and stood by the waiting area, flicking her gaze over to the two men from time to time. Once the petit, brown haired girl working behind the counter handed her the drink, she dashed out of the building, nerves shot and biting her pink-tinted lip.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

"If Lydia ever orders this much caramel syrup again, I am going to quit and start working at Starbucks."

Jace chuckled at his partner's threat, again appreciating the dry humor that made up about 67% of Alec's personality.

From his position at the opposite side of the storage room, Jace had a simply glorious view of Alec's backside, which was repeatedly leaning over/crouching down to place the large canisters of caramel on the floor. As often as he usually sides with Alec, Jace was going to have to firmly disagree with him on this one. In fact, he'd much prefer Lydia order twice this amount of caramel next time, simply to increase the amount of time he was blessed with to stare unabashedly at his soulmate's ass in semi-public.

Alec sighed, pushing back a piece of hair that had fallen over his eyes. "Look at you," he scoffed, glaring at the blond man across the room and making it all too easy for Jace to imagine his hips cocked at an impossible angle with his hands crossly slapped on his waist. "You're not even helping. You're just standing there watching me suffer."

Jace grinned from his spot atop the stainless steal countertop, waving his hand with a flourish in response. "Oh no, don't let my inaction stop you. I'm enjoying the view from over here far too much," he said with a smirk, making a point to drag his eyes slowly over Alec's body. The eye roll that Jace got in return was certainly one for the record books.

The two of them receded back into comfortable silence for a couple minutes, the only sounds in the building coming from the metal of the canisters against the floor and the occasional clang of Jace's bouncing feet against the table legs.

Alec spoke up again once he had placed the final can atop the perfectly stacked tower. "You know, I'm not even suppose to be working today. This was your job."

Jace ducked his head and smiled softly, Alec's choler making him feel a burst of endearment. He hopped off the counter and walked over to Alec, who was still glaring at the blond with his arms crossed. Jace brought his hands up his sides, pushing them off Alec's shoulders to reach up and place a kiss on his forehead. "Thank you."

Alec seemed to melt under Jace's touch, his brow unfurrowing and the frown leaving his lips. "That's not fair," he mumbled, wrapping his arms around Jace's waist and bringing him closer. Jace locked his hands behind the other man's head, burying his face in his neck. They swayed there for a little while, content with just being close to one another. After a little, Alec moved his head a little, nudging back Jace's face and placing kisses on his cheek. The blond closed his eyes as Alec kissed down to his neck, leaving a trail of feather-soft tickles.

Jace let out an impatient groan as the kisses got hotter, bringing his hand up to loosely tug at Alec's hair. "What brought this on?" He mumbled, pressing himself closer to Alec as the kisses became more agressive. Jace turned his head to capture Alec's lips with his, dragging his tongue on the seam of his mouth until Alec opened up to let him in.

"That girl that keeps coming into the coffee shop," the brunet managed to response between kisses. "The one with the red hair."

Jace hummed into the next kiss, the sound making Alec shiver and press for more. "Hmm. Clary. What about her?" the blond muttered, barely fluttering his eyes open.

Alec's head shot up, eyes squinted. "You know her name?" He said in disbelief. "She's only been here, like, twice."

Jace simply shrugged, still staring adoringly up into Alec's eyes. "Don't tell me you're jealous, babe."

This made Alec's eyes flash, annoyance striking his features as he rushed forward and captured Jace's lips again in his own.

The fierceness caught Jace off-guard and he stumbled backwards, quickly grasping on to the leather lapels of his boyfriend's jacket to keep from falling. Alec seared hot kisses down his lips, his neck, then nipping at the exposed part of his chest until the shirt got in the way. He bent down to his knees, threading the edges of the shirt between his fingers and lifting it up, placing his mouth on Jace's now uncovered stomach that already displayed the tell-tale bruises of faded hickies.

"Redhead who?" Was all Jace managed to make out between gasps, and Alec only replies with a satisfied smirk and began to take Jace's clothes off with a lot more urgency.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

The little bell chimed sweetly as Clary opened the café door, Isabelle trailing not to far behind. "It's funny that your mystery guy works here," Izzy said. "My brother and his fiancé do too. Maybe they know each other and you guys can go on double dates."

Clary hummed in response, focused on scanning the bar for Jace. She spotted him behind the far side of the counter, seemingly pouring chocolate chips into a blender. Clary also took notice of the grumpy guy from the days previous next to him, working on an order. Huh. She didn't realize that he worked here too. A bit confused, Clary nudged Izzy with her elbow, nodding her head towards Jace. "There he is, towards the back."

Clary felt Isabelle stiffen beside her. "Clary," she whispered urgently out of the corner of her mouth. The redhead looked at her friend worriedly. Izzy didn't move her eyes from Jace and Mr. Grumpy Doe-Eyes. "You better not be crushing on my big brother."

Clary blanched and whipped her head back towards Jace. Her eyes widened comically, "Th-that's your brother? You don't look anything ali—"

"The brunet, Clares!"

Clary's heart was palpitating. She breathed out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Oh god Izzy, you really had me," she laughed, relieved. "No, the one I'm talking about is named Jace; the blond, shorter one behi—"

Isabelle interrupted Clary for a second time, letting out a high pitch moan. "Oh shit. This is probably worse than you crushing on my brother," Izzy lamented sotto voce. Clary eyed her wearily.

"What do I not know?" She asked, dreading the answer.

Izzy began with trepidation, silently cursing her life. "Remember how I told you my brother was bonded?"

"Yeah...?"

A beat. Isabelle stared blankly at her.

Something clicked together in Clary's mind. It was her turn to moan. "You're joking, right? You've _got_ to be joking."

Izzy's face seeming to go between wanting to burst out laughing and wanting to break down on the ground crying.

"You mean..." Clary began wearily. This could _not_ be happening.

"I was crushing on your bonded brother-in-law?" She repeated the sentence running through her head out loud in shock, muffled behind her hands that had come up to hide her face.

"Not an in-law yet, but essentially yes," Isabelle's faced seemed to have decided on an emotion, and it had chosen vehement laughter. A part of Clary—a big part of Clary—hated her for it.

Now it was her turn to alternate between emotions, her eyes squeezing tightly closed and cheeks almost the color of a tomato due to the sheer amount of embarrassment; yet quite close to being hysterically lost in the insanity of the situation.

Isabelle chose for her and let her live out the humility of it all in private, guiding the two of them over to an empty couch and patting her shoulder, saying all the positive and uplifting things a good friend should while simultaneously thinking the complete opposite.

By the time Izzy's almost-brother had noticed them, Clary's odd mix of tearless sniffling and alarmingly colorful mumbling had begun to slow to a stop. She lifted her blotchy face and stared beadily at her friend. "I hate New York. And Hallmark. And you. Not necessarily in that order."

"Ooh look, here macho comes!" Izzy exclaimed in response, way to cheerful for her to be successfully fulfilling the role of doting and supportive friend.

Clary whimpered.

Izzy stood up and greeted Jace with a hug. "Hi, big brother!"

"Hey Izzy," he replied happily, wrapping an arm around her. "What are you doing here? You usually prefer that shop next to that book store of yours." Izzy hummed in agreement.

"Yes, usually, but today I have a special friend with me," she said with a wave of her hand, guiding Jace's attention toward the spot Clary still occupied, frozen on the lumpy puce couch.

Jace's eyes widened. Izzy's eyebrows shot up in glee. Clary hid her face in her hands again.

Jace flicked his eyes back to Izzy. "You're friends with Clary?"

Isabelle giggled with glee. "And you even know her name!"

Clary saw Jace's eyes flick back to the counter. "Did you need Alec?" He began to ask, but it was too late, the man in question was already sweeping open the employee door on the counter and walking over to them.

"Oh god no," Clary whispered.

"Oh hell yes," Izzy gave a small wave to her brother. He smiled in return as he reached the group, stopping next to Jace and flicking his eyes questioningly between the two women. "What are you doing here Iz?"

"What, your favorite sister can't stop by to say hi to you without a reason?" Alec glared and Izzy shrugged, moving back over towards Clary. "Dumb question."

"Who's this?" he asked, gesturing towards Clary with a tilt of his head. There was something under the words—exactly what Clary couldn't tell—that was almost angry. _Oh shit,_ Clary thought. However impossible it was, she felt as thought Mr. Grumpy Doe-Eyes (Alec, as she supposed she should call him now) already knew about her insatiable crush on his _fiancé_. More obscenities ran through Clary's head.

"This is Clary," Izzy introduced her. "She's up here in the city for the winter." It was all Clary could do to nod and swallow the urge to bolt out of the shop and never look back.

Jace seemed to somehow pick up on her stress, and reached a hand out to help her off of the couch. "Hello again Clary," he said with a grin.

She managed a smile, collecting herself and drawing in a breath. "H-hi."

Alec spoke up, brow furrowed. "So what exactly are you two doing here?"

Clary felt Izzy's hand move to her elbow, the other one come up to pat her arm. Clary braced herself for what was coming—it was too late to stop it now.

Izzy replied, her voice positively dripping with fake innocence, "Just helping out a friend. Clary here has a little crush on one of the baristas and I'm helping her stake him out."

"Which one?" Jace inquired, genuine interest flashing across his face. "I'm sure we could get you his number."

Izzy simply smiled sweetly back.

"Oh." Alec said in sudden realization.

Jace turned his head to look at him. "What?" He asked, raising his eyebrows in question. Alec simply tilted his mouth down in response. They seemed locked in some sort of staring contest, broken only by small gestures that for the life of her Clary couldn't decipher.

Clary watched their silent conversation go on until Jace froze in some sort of understanding. He turned back to the two girls, finger extended and pointing towards his chest. "Me?" He asked, meekly. Izzy just grinned more, tightening her hold around Clary's arm in what she supposed was suppose to be some sort of comforting motion.

The redhead cleared her throat. _Now or never._ "It's a total misunderstanding," she pleaded amicably. "I had no idea who you were," she then flicked her eyes alarming toward Alec, quickly adding on "Or who he was."

"So you're aware-"

"That you two are together, yes. Congratulations, by the way, about the soul bond." Clary rushed to cut him off before he could get too defensive. Her only goal as of now was to escape from this conversation unscathed.

Alec's stony expression seemed to loosen a little, if possible, at the mention of his bond. He nodded still somewhat stiffly at her, but the relaxing slope of his shoulders pointed toward her surviving for today.

However, it seemed as though she thought so too soon, because as soon as she let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding, Clary noticed the stifled laugh that was currently coming from Jace.

"So," he began, almost-but-not-quite sympathetic mirth sparkling in his eyes, "What exactly drew you to this hot barista, exactly? What it the hair? The eyes? I bet it was his eyes."

As Clary felt her face flush pink again, she realized that quite possibly the worst day of her life was far from over.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

"Did you see her face?"

"Hey now, no need to be mean to the poor girl. How was she suppose to know that all of this," Jace argued, gratuitously directing attention to his figure with a wave of his hand, "was sold property?"

Alec rolled his eyes and stuck the key he had in his hand into the door. "But what acceptable price would someone like you even go for?"

"Good answer."

"No, I meant what fool would spend any amount of money—"

Jace didn't let Alec complete the sentence, shutting him up with a hard kiss. He broke away softly, staring up at Alec warmly. "Love you."

Alec blinked, the hand not occupied by the key coming up automatically to wind itself around Jace's hip. A smile (unlike the one he used for customers, which never reached his eyes, nor like the one he had for his sister, which always contained a mix of fondness and ever-present sibling annoyance; but one especially crafted for Jace that no one else was ever privy to) spread across Alec's face, softening his features and smoothing out the creases on his forehead. His next words were soft, filled with more meaning than anyone listening in could have picked up on.

"I love you too."

Jace felt himself crumple and he tucked his head into the crook of Alec's shoulder, the both of them closing their eyes as they were lost in the moment.

"You know that this whole Clary thing means nothing, right?" Jace asked tentatively.

Alec chuckled, squeezing his eyes tighter as he held Jace more closely. "Of course, stupid."

Their bond flared up between them, as happy and content as they were. The brunet sighed and pressed his head against Jace's, all thoughts of Izzy's friend and the coffee shop evaporating from his mind. "What do you say we get out of the hallway?" He asked halfheartedly.

Jace mumbled something unintelligible in response into Alec's collarbone.

"I agree."

They didn't leave the hallway for a while.

 


End file.
